Pakistani (National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) ) making Somali ID Cards in any form won’t prevent terrorism.

on May 23rd 2022, Pakistan and Somalia have forged a collaboration for a $10.5 million grant to provide technical assistance for developing the Somali National Identification System.

As part of this collaboration, the Pakistani National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) will help the Government of Somalia to build a state-of-the-art national data and registration system. NADRA will not only develop the technology but also supply software and equipment to enable the national identification system.

Federal Cabinet of Pakistan has given approval on 24th February 2022, for the transfer of funds regarding development of Somalia National Identification system.

Federal Government Somalia provided on 12th June 2022, a fresh authorization letter to Federal Government of Pakistan in order to transfer the first installment payment to NADRA to implement the National identification and registration system. Thus, 30th of June 2022, Federal Government of Pakistan has transferred the first installment payment ($3.7 million) to NADRA regarding development of Somali National Identification System.

On behalf of Federal Republic of Somalia, DADSOM has expressed FGS’s sincere gratitude to the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to support for developing Somalia National Identification system as build own and transfer system. To have such a strong, productive relationship is a great source of reassurance and strengthening the bilateral relations between our two countries.

Giving effect to that achievement, DADSOM is prepared for system deployment from NADRA, and then ready to embark on our mobilization of mass registration strategy, starting fr

The rationale for creating a national ID with Pakistan , it’s not line between “us” (innocent people) and “them” (dangerous terrorists). Unfortunately, none of the proposed identification systems would effectively sort out the “good” from the “bad.” At best, an identification card simply confirms that you are who you say you are. At worst, an ID card will serve as proof of a false identity that will lull us into a false sense of security.

ID cards, whether legitimate or false, do not establish bad motive or intent.

A uniform ID card or driver’s license would have done nothing to establish any criminal motives for renting houses, going to purchase airline tickets or passing checkpoints.

Nor would it offer certain proof of identity.

First, there is the problem of breeder documents that are used to obtain driver’s licenses. After all, an identity card is only as good as the information that establishes a person’s identity in the first place.

It does not make sense to build a national identification system on a faulty foundation, particularly foreign country that may possibly would give a terrorist a free pass to avoid heightened security measures.

Terrorists and criminals will continue to be able to obtain — by legal and illegal means — the documents needed to get a government ID, such as birth certificates. Yes, these new documents will have data like digital fingerprints on them, but that won’t prove real identity — just that the carrier has obtained what could easily be a fraudulent document.

If it’s not careful An ID card system will lead to a slippery slope of surveillance and monitoring of citizens.

A national ID card system would not protect us from terrorism, but it would create a system of internal passports that would significantly diminish the freedom and privacy of law-abiding citizens.Once put in place, it is exceedingly unlikely that such a system would be restricted to its original purpose.

A national ID made by Pakistan would depend on a massive bureaucracy that would limit Somalis basic freedoms.

A national ID system would depend on both (Pakistan and Somali Government)the issuance of an ID card and the integration of huge amounts of personal information included in state and federal government databases. One employee mistake, an underlying database error rate, or common fraud could take away an individual’s ability to move freely from place to place or even make them unemployable until the government fixed their “file.”

A national ID would both contribute to identity fraud and make it more difficult to remedy.

Somali Parliament must reject the idea of a national ID and unlimited the uses of data collected by the Pakistan and Somali government.

Somali Government should choose non high threat of terrorism countries and hire capable firm with Somali tax payers who can deliver.

• innovation in digital security technology,
• * a chain of trust that is more secure and managed from end to end,
• * a solution that puts it at the forefront of World nations in the field of secure identity documents
• * a committed, expert, and fair approach, with an ongoing concern for the general interest, meeting the expectations of the federal government and the people of Somalia.

Abdiaziz Amalo.